David Siegel threatens employees with layoffs if Obama wins

[Syt]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/09/david-siegel-email_n_1951801.html?ir=Business

David Siegel Email To Workers Threatens Layoffs If Obama Is Reelected

The super-rich guy who claims he's the one who got George W. Bush elected is doing everything he can to make sure Mitt Romney wins in November too.

David Siegel, the founder and CEO of giant timeshare company Westgate resorts, sent an opus-like email to his workers, railing against one-percent bashing and arguing that the president's reelection would "threaten your job." In the email, obtained by Gawker, Siegel goes on to write:

    If any new taxes are levied on me, or my company, as our current President plans, I will have no choice but to reduce the size of this company.

Siegel has a history of injecting himself in to critical political events. In the "The Queen of Versailles," the documentary chronicling Siegel's quest to obnoxiously build the biggest house in America, the Florida real estate mogul claims he was "personally responsible" for George W. Bush's 2000 presidential victory. He also goes on to say that his tactics for helping Bush win "may not necessarily have been legal."

Siegel isn't the first CEO to push his political preferences on his employees. Bob Murray, CEO of coal company Murray Energy, allegedly pressured his workers to donate money to the Romney campaign. Murray energy workers have also accused the company of forcing them to participate in a pro-Romney rally, give up a day's worth of pay and face the possibility of getting fired if they didn't.

And Richard Lacks, CEO of car parts manufacturer Lacks Enterprises, urged his employees to vote for Romney on the basis of the claim that four more years of Obama would mean a boost in taxes and a decrease in pay. Talk about rocking the vote.

UPDATE: After Gawker published its piece, they spoke to Siegel, who confirmed that he sent the email and that he based it off a chain email that went around before the 2008 elections. "It speaks the truth and it gives [employees] something to think about when they go to the polls," he told Gawker.

[Eddie Teach]

I was about to say the bad publicity would cost their candidates more votes than they sway from their employees, but on reflection not too sure. I mean the story sends out two competing messages: one, big bad CEOs want to control your votes; two, Obama's taxes will cost jobs. Hard to say which one will resonate more.

[merithyn]

How is that legal? 

[mongers]

People should just accept that when they sign an employment contract, they hand over their right to choose who to vote for; people you know the corporation has your best interest at heart.

[Valmy]

Of course if spending is slashed that will also cost lots of jobs.  Having to balance a budget is a bitch.

[Eddie Teach]

How is that legal? 

First Amendment.

[merithyn]

How is that legal? 

First Amendment.

That's not first amendment. That's extortion.

[Valmy]

That is not extortion.  He just said he was going to lay people off if taxes go up.  The people he lays off maybe all voted for Romney.

Frankly what should be illegal is the timeshare racket.  This man is already a monster in my book.

[crazy canuck]

How is that legal? 

First Amendment.

That's not first amendment. That's extortion.

Not sure how that is extortion.  He doesnt know how people vote.  He didnt say "if you vote for Obama you will be fired".  What he did say is that if taxes go up he will have to lay people off.

The thing to hammer in him on is the causal relationship he is drawing between his own personal taxes going up and the need to lay people off.  As I understand it payroll taxes are not going up as part of Obama's plan.

[garbon]

Frankly what should be illegal is the timeshare racket.

[Martinus]

I'm with the anti-Merri crowd on this - it's not illegal to be a douchebag.

What I find funny is that anyone would consider it appropriate to send this kind of an e-mail to employees.

[Faeelin]

Peter, you really think this will hurt Obama? This dude based his warning off a chain email from four years ago, not the company's actual plight.

[Admiral Yi]

Good old HuffPost. 

[Ed Anger]

Every time tim may posts, I'm laying off 1  employee.

[crazy canuck]

Every time tim may posts, I'm laying off 1  employee.

Winding down your corporate interests?